Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Weekend Project

Arts and crafts always interest me and once in a while I enjoy taking up projects which are challenging, but not too challenging, if you get what I mean ;D

The DIY paper kit below was purchased in a toy-store in Tokyo, the pieces are so detailed and tiny that it took me much longer than I expected to put it together. I thought it was going to be fairly simple but noooooo, on the instruction leaflet it said a blade, glue and tweezers were needed to start.

After 3 hours I only managed to erect ONE floor. I have a record of not finishing DIY projects which are too hard or which take too long.. which really makes me out to be an impatient quitter. But not anymore! Anything which I am going to do, I will do it whole-heartedly and see it all the way through.

I may have only built one floor (about 3 weeks ago) and haven't touched it again since, but I will have it completed by the end of May.

*Please feel free to mock me when May comes and there is no sign of the completed project. LOL. 


 Must complete this by the end of May!!!






Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sunday Shopping!

Sunday shopping at 1 Utama.. Ken's Apothecary was having a promotion and all the brands under their belt had deals going on- Laura Mercier, diptyque, REN, Caudalie and Dr. Brandt.

Laura Mercier was having 40% off on body care sets and some makeup. The set below retails for MYR299 but I scored this Creme Brûlée Luxe Quartet at MYR179 (about USD55)!

So glad I didn't get it a few months back. Good things do come to those who wait (but bear in mind this doesn't apply to limited edition items haha). 

A sugar scrub, honey bath, body creme and candle all for only MYR179.. Such a steal! I've used this range before and I love the scent but didn't repurchase as it is quite expensive. Yay to giftsets!

My sister also got a diptyque set, for MYR345 there is a Baies room spray and a candle which are usually sold at MYR245 each. Love a good deal, but passed on this as I am on a temporary diptyque ban.. 

Aveda is also having limited edition candles for sale under their Light The Way campaign. The candles are made of soy wax with organic ginger and ginger lily from India and 100% of the purchase price goes to protecting and providing clean water to countries under Global Greengrants. These are retailing at MYR45 and is for a good cause, also I find the scent rather relaxing.

I usually do not support such "charity" products as not 100% of the sale goes to the cause (usually only a tiny portion is forwarded), but this is different and I appreciate how everything is made of recycled materials. Am thinking of going back for more. 

Haven't had a lazy Sunday in a while, I even had time for a nap and ended the day with delicious fresh fish caught by Papa.

Hope everyone has had a (un)productive Sunday! :D



Friday, April 11, 2014

Empties: March 2014

It's Friday!! I don't talk much about work, but I do have a job in an industry I am passionate about and though I enjoy it immensely.. I enjoy my weekends even more! haha

3 months has already flown by, feels like I've just done February's empties yesterday!

Chanel Le Jour is a bit of a in between for me, I didn't break out but neither did I see or feel any substantial difference even with consistent use. It is supposed to reactivate and soothe the face, to give a smooth, luminous base. I would give this miss, the La Nuit is much better (I already bought a 2nd). Indeedlabs hydraluron is something which I really liked, but is not readily available in my area. There is only one store which carries it but I don't like it enough to drive 40 minutes to get to that mall. For a serum. My skin has been okay so far, I guess I can do without it. Until we meet again, dear hydraluron! Clarins Multi-Active Night cream is from the same range I am actively using, nothing excellent but it does the job and doesn't break me out. 

The Lotus Face Oil is something which I have repurchased over and over again, I think I have purchased almost 10 bottles of these? I use this in my moisturizer, in my masks, on its own, works beautifully and I strongly recommend to anyone with congested and oily skin. UV protection is really important to me and I only wear sunscreen on the makeup-less weekends, but only because my BB cream already has a SPF40. Whilst I've tried many brands, Clarins UV Plus HP is my favourite- it lasts, dries fast, isn't oily, soothes my skin and doesn't break me out. This is the Tinted Pink, which gives radiant skin, but I much prefer the Tinted Beige and the Original (white). I have quite a few samples from La Mer and I am slowly going through them. The La Mer Hydrating Infusion was a bit heavy on my skin, the texture is a little thick but I do like the scent. 

I have been slacking with bodycare, I finally finished the rose-scented Anna Sui Moisturizing Body Lotion. It's a nice rose and the light lotion absorbs really quickly. I had a little accident in my bathroom, left a very large candle burning for 24 hours and came home to a pool and waterfall of red wax down the walls. It looked rather artistic and I felt a little sorry I had to break it up. Some products were in the way and got wax trickled down the sides- Acca Kappa White Moss Shampoo & Conditioner, I LOVELOVELOVE their brushes, but their haircare... not so much.

Makeup! Been so long since any makeup appeared in the Empties posts.. the Shu Uemura x Aya Takano Gel Blusher (limited Edition) is a product I really liked. It was a bright cherry and when used sparingly, gave off a very natural flush which lasts the whole day. Only gripe was everytime I took it travelling, it would "explode" when I used it (even after waiting hours). Powder blushers are the way to go for me! The Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector can be used as a base or blended into foundation/BB cream. It was received as a Club Reward (redemption from Clarins purchase points), I'm still undecided on this.. it doesn't irritate my face but I am also not convinced. I switch between this and the Chanel Illuminating Base. For the past 10 years, my choice of eyeliner has been Bobbi Brown Gel Liner (Black). I love the staying power, the real pigmented black shade, everything! Except the price. Have since found a dupe for half the price, which even comes with a decent brush. 

It is so hard to use up perfumes because admittedly, my collection is not as small as I would like it to be. I do give them away, provided the scent has not turned but I still can't bear to throw out the older perfumes (might be due to the pretty packaging!). The YSL Babydoll is one of those which I have had for many many years, it doesn't smell good on the skin anymore and thus, has been reassigned as a Bathroom scent. It's a young scent, one which my mother got me whilst I was still in University and I was obsessed with it, collecting all variants of this perfume. This is the only one remaining and had shimmer. I love how scents are able to trigger memories.

The second scent, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Bouquet Numero 2 came in a mini collection.. I liked it, it was a floral based, but not enough to buy it. Most of the Aqua Allegoria range wears off quickly and would not last the whole day but it doesn't bother me as I can't handle most strong scents anyway. Side note: I am wearing Pampelune today and I can't stop sniffing my wrists!

I've changed the writing style for the Empties posts, the previous style feels a little.. robotic? Going to try and strike a balance between too many and not enough words LOL

Happy Friday, everyone!